"Plug and play" Geospatial applications
Plug and play defined
In looking at a definition for Plug and Play it is not possible to use traditional sources
such as Webster's Dictionary. This is because Plug and Play, like so many technical
words, has taken on a special meaning, and has then evolved over a very recent time.
The next best source I have found in my research has been with the developers of the
concept, Microsofl Corporation. Microsoft has defined plug and play as:
".. .A combination of hardware and software support that enables a computer system to
recognize and adapt to hardware configuration changes with little or no intervention by
the user. A user can add devices to, and remove devices from, a computer system without
awkward and confising manual configuration and without intricate knowledge of
computer hardware. For example, a user can dock a portable computer and use the
docking station keyboard, mouse, and monitor without making manual configuration
changes."
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While this definition is sufficient for the hardware and operating systems, software
applications require a different definition that does not appear to have a generally
accepted definition. The addition of the geospatial component adds another level of
complexity. I propose the following definition for plug and play software applications:
Plug and Plav geospatial software atmlications are intemated comtmter mom-ams
that enable atmlications to run in an enterprise environment with minimal
customization and intimation work. Plug and Play at.mlications dug
independently into enterprise databases and spatial data models with
communications supported via standardized, open m-otocols.
Expanding on this a little further, some of the words in this definition have special
significance. Namely.
Enterprise refers to the fact that the Plug and Play geospatial application is not simply a
single user application, but rather a key part of a corporate information system requiring
access by multiple, distributed users. This greatly increases the complexity in the same
manner that networks of personal computers with attached peripherals increase the
complexity of systems over isolated, unconnected desktop PCs.
Integrated refers to the fact that the Plug and Play geospatial applications are not
working alone, but working in conjunction with other applications and information
systems. For a utility this refers to the integration of a Customer Information System, a
Work Management System and so forth.
Customization is work that is required to make the base Plug and Play geospatial
applications conform to the business requirements of the application users.
Customization is typically not considered to be core application programming
modifications to the source programs of the base Plug and Play geospatial application,
rather it is setting up the unique requirements of a given system.
Standardized, open protocols are forms of communication between the Plug and Play
application and other systems. These commonly include formal standards such as
CORBA and the Open GIS as well as commonly accepted vendor de facto standards,
such OLE/COM, and vendor database stored procedures.
